The Certificate in Latin American Studies

Graduate students seeking to strengthen their area expertise are encouraged to earn a Certificate in Latin American Studies in conjunction with an advanced degree in any university graduate program.  Candidates demonstrate expertise in Latin America through their graduate or professional field but are also encouraged to pursue interdisciplinary studies to enhance their professional development.  Many students find the certificate useful for expansion of career options and thesis preparation.

Students interested in pursuing the certificate should meet with the director of the Center for Latin American Studies to discuss the requirements, which include:

1. Successful completion of nine graduate-level credits (three courses, with a grade B or above in each).  Courses must be approved in advance by the program director and in consultation with the faculty member teaching the course.  Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in scheduled seminars to fulfill this requirement.  However, in some cases 3 credits may be a directed research/independent study course, supervised by a member of the Center for Latin American Studies who is also a member of the Graduate Faculty.
2. Successful completion of a significant research project in Latin American Studies.  At the M.A. level, this may include a master’s thesis, if required by the student’s program, or an expanded seminar paper.  At the Ph.D. level, it is expected that a substantial part of the dissertation will be devoted to Latin American issues.  Alternatively, a scholarly article focused on Latin America may also fulfill this component of the certificate.
3. Demonstrated language proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, or an Indigenous or Creole language of the region.  The student should be able to carry out research in the field and to converse with native speakers.  Proficiency may be attained through coursework (having completed the second year of language study) or informal education.  Proficiency will be determined by completed coursework or by examination.

Students satisfying these requirements will be awarded the Graduate Certificate in Latin American Studies upon completion of their degree.